


The Arc of Conflict, Fragment a1,2: Fear, and the places for it

by bzarcher, solarbird



Series: Of Gods and Monsters [121]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Background Relationships, Canon Lesbian Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Dissociation, Emotions, F/F, Fear, Gen, Goddesses, Memory Alteration, Oasis (Overwatch), Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Post-Talon, Talon Emily (Overwatch)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27582923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bzarcher/pseuds/bzarcher, https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarbird/pseuds/solarbird
Summary: Katya Volskaya's government in Russia has destroyed the omnium Koschei, and held their own against the Gods of Oasis. But with Jesse McCree having upset a precarious balance, Lena, Hana, and Sombra have intervened in Russia's rising civil war, and the fragile peace between Overwatch and Oasis has been shattered.Back in Oasis, Emily muses with Moira on the nature of challenge - and of fear.Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflictis a continuance ofThe Arc of Ascension,The Arc of Creation, andThe Armourer and the Living Weapon. To follow the story as it appears,please subscribe to the series.
Relationships: Emily & Moira O'Deorain, Emily/Lena "Tracer" Oxton/Widowmaker | Amélie Lacroix
Series: Of Gods and Monsters [121]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024
Comments: 9
Kudos: 26





	The Arc of Conflict, Fragment a1,2: Fear, and the places for it

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a... difficult couple of weeks here in American Cascadia. Less difficult than other places, but still. We've won the election but the Republicans are refusing to admit it, and while everyone is trying to come up with explanations, the reality is that they _would_ overturn the election results if they _could_.
> 
> I don't think they can, but it's still nerve-wracking. And makes it hard to write. But still.
> 
> dirtyclaws has launched [a public fan-run _Of Gods and Monsters_ discord server](https://discord.gg/pDZMpVT) and invites everyone to come join it!

"Y'know, auntie..."

Emily sat in a large, soft chair, in a corner of Moira's office, a cup of tea in her hand, waiting for Lena to recover from follow-up work on the memories she'd gained - and then had separated - of a possible, horrible future.

Danielle would be there too, were she not needed in Sevastopol this very moment.

"Yes, niece?" her auntie replied, looking over data from Lena's mind, checking everything for a fifth time. Unnecessarily, of course. But this was, after all, her daughter, and she could not help but worry.

Emily tilted her head thoughtfully, looking up towards the ceiling at nothing in particular. "There's somethin' I miss."

"What's that, then?"

"Fear."

Moira blinked, and looked up at her niece. "Fear?" she asked. "Whatever for?"

Emily tilted her head in the other direction, still looking at nothing in particular, as if rolling the thought around in her head.

"It's _exciting_ ," she said, after a moment. "It's part of the stakes of the kill, and - don't get me wrong, I love everything you've done. But you took away fear, and..."

"I most certainly did not!" Moira said, back straightening reflexively, as it did when anyone mischaracterised anything she'd done, intentionally or not.

Emily looked surprised, gaze dropping to Moira's eyes.

"...you didn't?"

"No, of course not!" she said, putting the padd to the side, on her desk. "I have no interest at all in reducing the spectrum of humanity. Quite the opposite, in fact."

Emily took a sip of her tea.

"Huh."

She thought back to what had reminded her of her missing fear - the Russian attack on Oasis, some weeks before. She felt fear, then. Genuine fear, and had greeted it like an old, lost friend.

"I did feel it when fighting the Russian SEPs," she conceded, "so I guess you're right, but still - I hadn't felt it in ages!"

Moira smiled, stood, and walked around her desk, sitting down beside Emily.

"That's just your confidence talking, my good niece. You're simply one of the best - and always were." She leaned forward, taking her niece's hand in hers. "Are you feeling unchallenged, dear? Is that it?"

"Nah," Emily grinned, shaking her head. "Not since you started sending us out solo. There's lots of challenge in that, and I love it."

"Do you need more such missions? More time away from..."

" _No,_ " Emily interrupted, most emphatically. "No. I... I couldn't. I _wouldn't._ And sometimes if the problem's difficult enough there's plenty of challenge even with all three of us there."

"But there's a difference between _challenged_ and _threatened_ ," Moira mused, leaning back in her chair.

"Maybe!" Emily agreed. "That might be it."

"Everyone around us does seem awfully brave these days, don't they. And yet, we've done nothing to eliminate other emotions. Perhaps... it's not what has been traditionally thought, but... perhaps the default state of humanity, if _not_ traumatised, if _not_ abused, while still being challenged... is to be... brave."

"Kinda like that," Emily admitted. "I'll give that a thought or two. But I still miss being afraid once in a while."

"I understand." Moira's face set into that particular expression that meant she was considering something, something to be chewed on slowly, deliberately.

"You have presented me with a genuinely difficult problem, dear. Thank you. I will meditate on it."

"Really?" Emily grinned. She didn't find herself challenging Moira intellectually very often - at least, not in ways that interested the geneticist.

"Yes," Moira confirmed. "We have many pressing problems at the moment, obviously, and they will require more of my time than I want to give - but I will not forget this."

"I suppose I could just watch more scary movies," Emily giggled. "Or try out for open mics."

Moira chuckled. "'Get off the stage!' can be as scary as gunfire, at times."

"Scarier! You've told me!"

"I remember," her aunt said, shuddering a little at her unfortunate experiences on stage, long ago, in college. "But in all seriousness - yes, I will. Winnowing the tree of humanity should never be done if it can be avoided, and even when it can't be, it's not something to be done lightly - and most of all, without intent."

She put her hands together, or really, her fingertips, touching, lightly, one at a time, in sequence, a nervous habit that didn't bother her, and helped her think.

"I'll bring this up with Angela, too. Perhaps she'll have some insights."

Emily's typical smile returned.

"Thanks, auntie. I appreciate it."

"Anything for family, dear. You know that."

She looked up at the clock.

"Talking of, it's about time I checked in on Lena." She stood back up, out of her chair, stepping around the small table between the two seats. "Have you talked with her about this, at all?"

"Not really," Emily said, putting down her teacup and standing as well.

"You should," Moira said, as she opened her office door, gesturing Emily though. "I suspect she'll have some new thoughts on this, now."

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "I think she might."

**Author's Note:**

> This is the fiftith instalment of _Of Gods and Monsters: The Arc of Conflict_. To follow the story, [subscribe to the series via this link](https://archiveofourown.org/series/972024), rather than to the individual works.


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